Hong Kong police arrested 61 people this month during an operation that stopped 54 phone scam cases and recovered losses exceeding HK$31 million.
The operation, code-named Pebblepace, targeted mostly “guess who I am” scams. Suspects aged 17 to 82 face charges including conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.
Phone scam cases in Hong Kong rose 46 per cent in the first five months of 2026, reaching 3,766 incidents with total losses of HK$720 million. Chief Inspector Ho Ming-wai said the most common method involved callers posing as customer service staff.
Ten cases involved scammers contacting 22 elderly victims while pretending to be relatives in need of bail or medical funds. One 56-year-old man lost HK$3 million after a fraudster claimed he had purchased insurance.
Police urged elderly residents to stay calm and verify any unexpected calls with family or trusted contacts before acting.